Chapter 462 - You Will Regret It
Upon seeing General Xiao, everyone got on their knees. "General Xiao," Fu Donghai murmured and went towards him. Nianzu turned to look at him and heaved a sigh of relief. Zou Min stood up and ran towards Xiao Zhan and grabbed his legs.
"General Xiao, why are you ordering them to arrest me?" He confusedly asked and looked at Nianzu who had gone near Chuntao. Pointing his finger towards Nianzu, he said, "These two have created a ruckus. I beg you to punish them, General Xiao, especially that woman, who slapped me and embarrassed an upper-classman in front of the three landlords and the royal inspector."
"What are you waiting for? Did you not listen to me? Arrest the village headman," Xiao Zhan repeated his words, looking at Fu Donghai, who gestured his soldiers to grab Zou Min. Xiao Zhan kicked Zou Min and ordered Fu Donghai to drag out everyone from the residence of Zou Min.
"Tie him to this pole and hit his legs and stomach until he bleeds," Xiao Zhan ordered. Zou Min confusedly looked at Xiao Zhan and asked him why he was being punished. The people were happy to hear that the Village Headman would be punished.
Nianzu moved the hair strands away from Chuntao's face and put his arm around her. "Everything is fine," Nianzu said and caressed her arm. He put back the token inside his pocket before anyone could notice that. Huo Jin came towards Nianzu and Chuntao.
"Please follow me," Huo Jin requested them. Nianzu moved forward, dragging Chuntao with her, and followed Huo Jin while Xiao Zhan decided to punish the Village Headman in front of everyone.
More than three dozen women were brought from the Residence of the Village Headman. Nearly two dozen servants and slaves also came to the front yard. "Why did you not start yet?" Xiao Zhan scolded Fu Donghai, who quickly asked for a stick.
"General Xiao, why am I being punished? You have misunderstood me, General Xiao," asserted Zou Min. Xiao Zhan ignored his words and looked at the three wives of Zou Min. "Even your wives want you to die," Xiao Zhan stated and looked at the other women– some young and some older. "You have a harem here," Xiao Zhan stated and looked at Fu Donghai, who still had not started. He pulled the sword out from the sheath and slit the throat of Fu Donghai with lightning speed.
A few drops of blood splashed on the face and robes of Zou Min. Everyone in the front yard was scared to death. Fu Donghai's lifeless body fell to the ground. "Throw him away," Xiao Zhan ordered the soldiers. They quickly acted on the command and took the body away.
The other six officers from the police bureau had also arrived at the residence. They greeted General Xiao and looked at the blood on the ground. "Hit his legs and stomach until he bleeds to death," Xiao Zhan ordered one of the Rank 7 officers. He came forward and did what Xiao Zhan ordered.
Zou Min cries echoed in the air. There was a smile on everyone's lips. Not a single person pleaded with Xiao Zhan to stop. Even the children of Zou Min kept mum and had lowered their heads.
The torture continued till half an hour and the area around the pole had been covered in the blood. Xiao Zhan told the officer to stop, who stepped back. Zou Min cried in pain. He could not feel his body. "W-water," Zou Min requested for water when Xiao Zhan gestured to a servant to bring the water. The servant quickly brought the water in a glass and handed it to Xiao Zhan. He splashed it on the face of Zou Min.
"You do not deserve to drink this water. Do you know why you are getting punished?" Xiao Zhan asked. Zou Lin's eyes were half-closed. He shook his head.
"Does anyone here know why your village headman is getting such kind of punishment?" Xiao Zhan asked. Landlord Peng stepped forward because finally, he could speak up about the wrong.
"General Xiao, the Village Headman, harassed a woman. Forgive us, people, for never raising our voice on this issue. All these women have suffered because of the Village Headman," asserted Landlord Peng.
"The mistake lies in the department of Police Bureau which has been set up to punish such people," asserted Xiao Zhan and grabbed the fistful of Zou Min's hair. 'He harassed the woman of the Fourth Prince.'
"Tie his hands with a rope and I will drag him in the entire village," Xiao Zhan let go of his hair and walked out of the residence. Zou Min was untied from the pole and brought outside the residence. He had not any strength left in his body so soldiers supported him.
Xiao Zhan hopped on the horse and tightly gripped one end of the rope with which they had tied Zou Min's hands. Everyone came outside to see that majestic sight– the village headman was getting punished for his crimes. Zou Min with his remaining strength tried to plead Xiao Zhan but he didn't listen. Instead, he started to ride the horse, dragging Zou Min, who was lying on the ground. His robes ripped apart because of the abradant against the ground.
The villagers started to run after them in happiness, mostly men and children. Zou Min could not stand for even ten minutes and die. After half an hour, Xiao Zhan reached in front of the residence of Zuo Min and stopped. He hopped down the horse and kicked the lifeless body of Zou Min. "Throw it in the open fields and let the hawks and eagles eat it," Xiao Zhan ordered one of the officers.
He looked at Landlord Peng and went to him. "Make an arrangement for those women who are unmarried, make them marry while married women will be sent back to their homes. Free the slaves from working here," ordered Xiao Zhan. Landlord Peng bowed, acknowledging the orders of Xiao Zhan.
~~~~~
Nianzu and Chuntao sat on the mattress on the floor. Tears rolled down Nianzu's cheeks. Today, Chuntao could have lost her dignity because of him. He internally cursed himself for not protecting Chuntao well.
Huo Jin brought water into a bronze vessel and placed it beside Nianzu. "Your Highness, this is for cleaning the wounds of her highness," Huo Jin placed the cotton towel down on the floor and walked out, closing the door behind him.
"Forgive me, Chun," Nianzu joined his both hands and lowered his head. He looked at her hands which were trembling in fear. He grasped them and moved closer to her. "Chun, everything is fine." He drew her for a hug. Chuntao rested her head on his chest and started crying.
"I was scared. He touched me and then grabbed my hair. No one ever raised a hand on me but he did. It's disgusting," Chuntao informed Nianzu, who also cried with her.
"You should have revealed my identity, Chun. You should have told them that your husband used to be a Prince," Nianzu stated.
"I could not think of anything at that moment," Chuntao said. "I was scared," she said as more tears poured down her eyes. "I did not know that I would encounter him and this would happen," Chuntao asserted.
Nianzu cupped her face in his palms and wiped the tears from his thumbs. "General Xiao will punish him to death. If he had not come, then I would have killed him after showing the Crown Prince's token to everyone. Thankfully, General Xiao reached at the right time," Nianzu explained to Chuntao. "Did he do something more? Did he touch you anywhere? Tell me," Nianzu asked. His voice was quivering.
Chuntao shook her head. Nianzu hummed and picked the cotton towel. He dipped it into the lukewarm water and wrung it. He grabbed her hands first and wiped them, followed by her feet. Seeing the blood on her feet, he again broke down. He did the cleaning quickly and put it aside. He looked at her arms, elbows, face, back to make sure she was not injured or harmed anywhere.
He moved his hand above her head and kept caressing it for some time. For the first time, he regretted his decision to leave the title of Prince and the Palace. He finally understood the meaning of his father's words– 'A life of a commoner is not easy.. You will soon regret it.'